Machine for separating,stacking and bundling box parts



March 31, 1970 J. w. DERENTHAL 3,503,548

STACKING AND BUNDLING BOX PARTS MACHINE FOR SEPARATING1 Filed Jan. 31, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wm Qw mm w mw 3 8 Q s mN S N Q RUM wk n mm m wm 6 Na D mm W e mm .0 h

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March 31, 1970 J. w. DEFQENTHAL 3,503,548

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING, STACKING AND BUNDLING BOX PARTS Filed Jan. 31, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mLr II [I I WM 3mm Qm NWm March 31, 1970 I J. w. DERENTHAL 3,503,548

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING, STACKING AND BUNDLING BOX PARTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 51, 1968 I E a E E N 9 Q Q M M 3 @w 9w 3 mw M T m Q wm m wm March 31, 1970 w. DERENTHAL 3,503,548

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING, STACKING AND BUNDLING BOX PARTS Filed Jan. 31, 1968 A Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,503,548 MACHINE FOR SEPARATING, STACKING AND BUNDLING BOX PARTS Jerome W. Derenthal, Succasunna, N.J., assignor to Stapling Machines C0., Rockaway, N.J., a corporat on of Delaware Filed Jan. 31, 1968, Ser. No. 702,068 Int. Cl. 1326f 3/00 U.S. Cl. 225-96 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Machine with cutters for severing composite wooden box part units into separate box parts, elements supporting one of the box parts adjacent the line of severance While pressing downwardly on the other adjacent thereto to displace their severed edges and separate adhering fibers, staggered hoppers for aligning and stacking the separated box parts and a bundling station for compressing and binding the stacks.

This invention relates to a machine for receiving. for example from a wirebound box-part-making machine, composite box part units consisting of two or more adjoined box parts, dividing said units into individual box parts, stacking the box parts and binding them in bundles. The term box is used herein to include crates and other containers.

The conventional wirebound boxes in use heretofore have been formed from blanks or mats having four sections or sides, each composed of face material or slats and reinforcing cleats secured thereto adjacent the lateral edges of the blank, with the several sections foldably secured together by binding wires extending longitudinally of the blank and secured to the sections by staples driven astride the binding wires, through the face material and into the cleats. The two ends of each binding wire are provided with loop fasteners which project from the ends of the blank, and when the blank is folded around to set up the box, these loops come into opposition with each other at the closing corner of the box and one of them, being somewhat narrower than the other, is inserted through the latter and bent down to secure the box closed.

The box ends are similarly formed of side material or slats with reinforcing battens or liners stapled thereto and are secured to the box blank by loop fasteners formed at the ends of binding wires stapled to the box ends, these loops being inserted through notches in the outside cleats of the front and rear sections of the box blank and bent around the outside binding wires.

The box ends are made separately from the rest of the blank or mat, but involve the same type of manufacturing operations. That is, the several parts of the box ends are stapled to each other and to the binding wires in a stapling machine from which they issue in a continuous succession joined together by the binding wires. They must be fed through a separate loop fastener machine wherein the binding wires are severed in the intervals between adjacent end members and the resulting wire ends are bent to form loop fasteners. The making of the box ends thus involves considerable utilization of the box-making machinery and substantial cost.

To economize on machine operating time, it is desirable to make box ends two or more abreast, either by feeding several separate ends side by side through the stapling and loop forming machines, or by making in one piece composite end units consisting of two or more transversely spaced portions each representing a box end, and subsequently severing the composite units into separate ends. The latter method is usually more desirable since one long slat replaces two or more short slats and therefore 3,503,548 Patented Mar. 31, 1970 reduces the number of slats to be handled and fed to the stapling machine, thereby also reducing the labor involved.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a practical and reliable machine for receiving such composite units, severing them into separate box parts and stacking such parts.

It is a further object to provide such a machine which also includes means for binding the stacks of parts into bundles in an effective and facile manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine operable by one person, which will sever composite box ends into two separate ends and stack and bundle the ends at normal production rates. When using equipment available prior to this invention, the severing, stacking and bundling has required two people.

Another object is that of providing a machine in which the severed box parts are positively disengaged from one another after cutting and are otherwise handled so as to prevent them from becoming cocked in the feed channels or snagged on the adjacent parts of the machine, to insure a free and unimpeded flow of box parts in the desired paths, without jamming or other malfunction.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative machine embodying features of the invention, as viewed from the output end;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, particularly showing the box part conveying means;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary transversely oriented vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2, particularly showing the cutting wheels which sever the box part units;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinally oriented vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5, particularly showing the support and presser members which separate adhering fibers;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation'al view of the bunding station, as viewed generally along the line 7-7 in FIGURE 1.

In all of the drawings, machine details, such as framing members, drive elements, etc., deemed unnecessary to an understanding of the invention, have been omitted for purposes of clarity.

As may be seen in FIGURES 2 and 4, the composite box part units (not shown) enter the input end of the machine (the righthand end as viewed in FIGURE 3) riding on four longitudinally extending, transversely spaced infeed conveyors 10 which are supported on cross bars 11 (FIGURE 4) on the frame of the machine. The box part units are guided laterally by rollers 12 which are mounted at either side of the input end of the machine on support bars 13 (FIGURE 1) in position to engage the edges of the units on the roller conveyors 10. The machine may be mounted at the output side of a loop fastener machine to receive composite box end units directly as they issue therefrom.

The box part units are conveyed through and out of the machine on a pair of endless conveyor belts 14 and 14' which extend longitudinally of the machine with their input ends overlapping the output ends of the roller infeed conveyors 10, the conveyor belts 14 and 14' being transversely spaced so that they are interposed between the conveyors -10 at positions respectively centered beneath the two halves of the composite box part units, which halves, for example, may represent identical, com plete box ends.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the conveyor belts 14 and 14' are driven by large driven rollers 16 which are keyed on the main drive shaft 18 of the machine and about which the input ends of the belts 14 and 14 are trained. The output ends of the belts 14 and 14 are supported on small spring tensioned idler rollers 20 rotatably supported on transverse shafts 22, while the underside of the belts are engaged by tensioning rollers 24 rotatably mounted on vertically adjustable transverse shafts 26.

The upper span of each of the two belts 14 and 14' is slidably supported on a support rail 28, which insures movement of such upper span along a straight horizontal line slightly higher than the upper surface of the roller infeed conveyors 10.

To enhance the frictional engagement of the belts 14 and 14' with the box parts thereon, the outer surface of the belts may be made of corrugated rubber. The box parts are held down against the belts by overhead presser rails 29 which are supported directly above-the upper .span of the belts by hanger bolts 30 which are secured to and project upwardly from the presser rails 29 through cross rails 32 (see also FIGURE 4), between which the bolts may be moved along the cross rails to permit adjustment of the location of the presser rails transversely of the machine. Nuts 34 adjustably threaded on the upper ends of the hanger bolts 30 and engaging the upper surface of the cross rails position the presser rails vertically, so that they may be spaced above the upper surface of the belts 14 and 14' a distance slightly less than the thickness of the box parts. Coil springs 36 encircling the hanger bolts 30 are interposed between the cross rails 32 and the presser rails 29 to maintain the presser rails normally in the extreme lower position as determined by the adjustment of the nuts 34, but yield resiliently to permit upward movement of the presser rails in the event of an oversized or misaligned part or other malfunction. Clamping screws, upper clamp, and lower clamp retain transverse adjustment of presser rails 29 across the machine, while permitting vertical movement of hanger bolts 30 through clearance holes in upper and lower clamps.

As the composite box part units move through the machine they are severed along their center line by a pair of cooperating cutting wheels 38 and 38 which are respectively keyed on the main drive shaft 18 and upon a similar drive shaft 40 mounted directly above it. As best shown in FIGURE 5, the two cutting wheels are fiat on one side and beveled on the other, with the outer marginal portions of their two fiat sides contacting one another at the level of the path of box parts, as shown by the broken lines F'. As shown by the arrows in FIG- URE 3, the shafts 18 and 18' rotate in opposite directions so that the portions of the two cutting wheels which engage the box part units move in the same direction as the box part units, and at approximately the same speed. Thus, the cutting wheels act as shears to sever the box part units along a line of severance indicated by the broken line S in FIGURE 2, to form separate box parts.

The box parts at one side of the line of severance S move straight into an inner hopper, generally designated 42, while those at the other side move straight into an outer hopper generally designated 44, spaced farther from the center of the machine. The output ends of the conveyor belts 14 and 14' are respectively positioned adjacent the input ends of the two hoppers 42 and 44 so that the box parts will fall off the ends of the conveyor belts into the hoppers.

To separate any interlocking fibers resulting from the cutting of the box parts, which might tend to interfere with their proper movement, the box parts destined for the second hopper 44 are supported on a support rail 46 (see also FIGURE 6) which extends longitudinally of the machine and is positioned to engage and support the under surface of such box parts adjacent the line of severance S, while the upper surface of the box parts destined for the first hopper 42 is pressed downwardly by a presser member 48 (FIGURES 2 and 6) which is mounted in the same fashion as the presser rail 29 (FIG- URE 3) and which extends longitudinally of the machine adjacent the other side of the line of severance S. As shown in FIGURE 6, the presser member 48 is inclined downwardly in the direction of movement of the box parts so as to press the latter parts, shown at P in FIGURE 6, downwardly below their original path, and break or disengage any fibers tending to interlock them with the mating box parts from which they have been severed.

As box ends are separated vertically, presser 48 becomes the inner side guide for box end destined for hopper 44, and support 46 becomes inner side guide for box end destined for hopper 42. The box ends are therefore longitudinally guided to prevent them from rotating in a horizontal plane upon their respective conveyors 14 and 14.

The outer edges of the box parts destined for the outer hopper 44 are supported on a horizontal rail 49 (FIGURE 2) at the same height as the support member 46, and which likewise extends to a point adjacent the input end of the hopper 44.

The construction of the two hoppers 42 and 44 is best shown in FIGURE 1. As may be seen in that figure, the inner hopper 42 is defined laterally by outer and inner side wall assemblies 50 and 52, respectively, which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the box parts P, one of which is shown in position at the bottom of the hoppers. The outer hopper 34 is similarly defined laterally by inner and outer sidewall assemblies 54 and 56. Each of the hoppers is partially closed at its lower end by bottom flanges 58 which project inwardly from the lower edges of the side wall assemblies in position to engage the edges of the bottom box part P in the hopper. Each of the hoppers is partially closed at its outer end by end brackets 60 adjustably secured to the flanges 58 by bolts 62 extending through elongated slots 58a therein, and by extension arms 64 projecting upwardly from the end brackets 60 and adjustably secured thereto by bolts 66 extending through slots 60a in the end brackets 60 As best shown in FIGURE 2, the inner walls 52 and 54 of the hoppers 42 and 44 are slightly offset laterally so that as the severed box parts move along straight-line paths, their inner edges, at opposite sides of the line of severance S, will pass unimpeded into the hoppers.

The bottom flanges 53 are inclined with respect to the horizontal so that the bottom of each hopper is lower at its outer end than at its inner end, and the end brackets 60 are similarly inclined so that they are generally perpendicular to the bottom flanges 58. This allows for the partial rotation of the box parts as they fall into the hopper due to the fact that their leading ends reach the end of the conveyor belt and start dropping downwardly before their trailing ends. The extension arms 64 extend generally vertically upwardly to leave a uniform distance of free horizontal movement of the box parts after they leave the conveyor belts until their leading edges strike the outer end of the hopper. This insures a uniform degree of rotation of the box parts so that they all reach a position substantially parallel to the bottom of the hopper. The box parts are thus deposited uniformly on top of the preceding box parts to form a stack of box parts in the hopper which is generally vertical (that is, sufliciently vertical to maintain the stacked relation of the box parts) but which is inclined sufficiently so that the force of gravity will maintain the outer edges of the box parts substantially aligned against the end brackets 60 and/or the extension arms 64.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the space between the end brackets 60 at the outer ends of the hoppers allows the loop fasteners F on the box parts to project through the end wall of the hopper without interference with or darnage to the loop fasteners.

When a sufficient stack of box ends has accumulated in one of the hoppers (the two hoppers being alternately emptied) the stack is lifted manually out of the hopper and transferred to a bundling station, generally designated 68 in FIGURE 1, and shown in greater detail in FIGURE 7. The bundling mechanism is supported on a generally vertical mounting post 70 which is secured on adjustable outrigger arms, such as 72, extending from the main frame of the machine. The mechanism includes a stack compressing means formed by a fixed upper platen 74 supported on arms 76 extending from a crosspiece 78 adjustably clamped on the mounting post 70, and by a movable lower clamping plate 80 mounted at the upper end of a vertical bracket 82 supported on parallel arms 84 and 86 whose opposite ends are pivotally mounted on a bar 88 supported at the rear of the post 70 by spacer arms 90 and 92 reinforced by diagonal brace 94. This allows movement of the clamping plate 80 toward and away from the upper platen 74 while maintaining the clamping plate 80 parallel to the platen 74. The clamping plate 80 is driven by an air cylinder 96 pivotally mounted on a bracket 98 at the lower end of the post 70 and having its piston rod 100 pivotally connected to the upper parallel arm 84 by a pin 102 (FIGURE 7).

The clamping plate 80 is normally maintained in its lower position, shown in broken lines in FIGURE 7, in which stacks of box parts may be readily placed upon it, to be supported thereon, while they are confined laterally by vertical rear rails 103 and vertical side rails 104 secured thereto by spacer blocks 105. The rear rails 103 are adjustably secured on transverse channels 106 fixed on a mounting bracket 109 (FIGURE 7) bolted at one end of an arm 110 adjustably secured by a clamp 112 on the post 70. This arrangement allows adjustment of the positions of the rear rails 103 and side rails 104 to accommodate different sizes of box parts and different stack heights.

The rear edges of the box parts supported on the clamping plate 80 are abutted against the front edges of the rear rails 103 to maintain the stack of box parts in proper alignment, the axis of the post 70 and all of the parts mounted thereon being tipped slightly relative to the vertical in order to employ the force of gravity to insure such abutment and the resulting alignment.

After the stack of box parts has thus been inserted into the bundling mechanism, a control valve (not shown) is actuated to supply compressed air to the cylinder 96, driving its piston rod 100 and the presser plate 80 upwardly to compress the stack against the upper platen 74. While the stack is thus compressed, a tie member, for example of steel, is wrapped around the stack and tensioned and clinched by a conventional strapping mechanism generally designated 114 secured to the top of the platen 74.

The control valve is then actuated to reverse the connections to the air cylinder, lowering the presser plate 80 and leaving the bundled stack of box parts supported under the platen 74 by engagement of the strap with the strap clinching elements. The bundle may then be readily removed by pulling it outwardly to disengage the strap.

I claim:

1. A machine for dividing composite units of adjoined wooden box parts units into separate box parts and stacking said box parts, comprising conveyor means having at least two conveyor sections spaced transversely of said machine for transporting said box part units longitudinally through said machine, cutting means for engaging the moving box part units and severing the same along a longitudinal line of severance between said conveyor sections to form from each of said units at least two box parts respectively supported on said conveyor sections, at least two hoppers spaced both transversely and longitudinally of said machine in position to receive said box parts from the respective conveyor sections and confining said box parts in generally vertical stacks, a support member extending longitudinally of said machine in position to engage and support the under surface of the box parts adjacent one side of said line of severance and a presser member arranged to engage and press downwardly on the upper surface of the box parts adjacent the other side of said line of severance at a longitudinal position opposite said support member to cause relative vertical displace ment of the box parts in each of said units to separate any fibers tending to interlock said box parts.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the inner edges of the box parts destined for the farther of said two hoppers are supported on the upper edge of a wall assembly which defines the inner side of the nearer of said two hoppers.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 in which said wall assembly is laterally offset in the area of the farther of said two hoppers so that the inner side of each of said two hoppers is substantially aligned with said line of severance.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the two sections of said conveyor terminate at different longitudinal positions, each adjacent the input side of the hopper with which it is respectively aligned to permit the box parts to fall from each of said conveyors on top of the preceding box parts to form generally vertical stacks in each of said hoppers.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 in which said hoppers are inclined with respect to the vertical so that the leading edges of the box parts therein is lower than the trailing edges thereof to allow for the fractional rotation of said box parts in falling off the ends of said conveyor or sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1928 Cumfer 22599 X ll/1928 Preston 225-96 JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner 

